1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for retaining pleats in hanging draperies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In making draperies, the drapery material is generally gathered and sewn at evenly spaced intervals along the top edge to form pleats. Such pleats form downwardly extending folds of substantially uniform shape when the drapes are installed. In the past, draperies were made of materials which hung in a manner in which it was desirable to maintain vertical pleats or folds in the hanging draperies. To augment the natural hang of the draperies, fold retaining means, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,785 to Dwyer, were used to form such folds. However, such means includes hook members which required sharp points to pierce the drapery material. This of course raises the cost of manufacture the resulted in sharp points injurious to the user, snagging of multiple pleats and tearing the fabric. In addition, the hooks slid on the string since they were not secured thereto. Finally, such hooks do not grasp the material in a positive manner and the pleats can work loose if the hooks lose resiliency.
The increased use of foam backed fabrics for insulation and energy related reasons result in the drapes which tend to flare at the bottom rather than maintaining the fabricated pleat formed at the top of the drapery which are held by hooks and slides. There is a need for such means for spacing pleats which is useful on any fabric, especially fiber glass and other unruly "no-iron" fabrics, because they cannot be trained into folds. All self-lined fabrics, sheers, and most other fabrics have this flaring problem as well. There is much need for means for spacing such pleats and maintaining spaced pleats vertically along the hanging drapes. Such means should be easily and inexpensively manufactured.